Practice Makes Perfect
by RuriLali
Summary: Chinatsu decides it's in both of their best interests to practice kissing with Akari again. Chinatsu is supposedly head over heels for Yui, so why can't she get Akari out of her head? Is it normal for lips to be so soft? Why can't she bring herself to stop..?
1. Not This Again!

Chinatsu placed a single finger onto her lower lip and murmured, "Hey, Akari-chan…"

"What…?"

Chinatsu turned to look at Akari with a starry-eyed gaze that was all-too-familiar to the redhead. Akari swallowed the lump in her throat. When Chinatsu's voice came again, it was barely a whisper.

"Let's kiss."

"Not this again!"

* * *

-Several Hours Earlier-

The afternoon sun blazed brightly as Chinatsu and Akari walked along the stone path to the Tea Preparation Club's old room. It was the last day before summer vacation and surely Kyouko had something crazy planned for the members of the Amusement Club. Akari opened the door to the Amusement Club only to be met by Kyouko's embrace.

Kyouko nuzzled her cheek onto that of her victim's, amorously declaring, "China-chu! …Oh, it's just you, Akari."

Chinatsu turned to her beloved senpai and, with but the briefest of pauses, leapt into her senpai's arms (or more precisely, gave her senpai a bone-crushing hug).

"Kyaa~ Yui-senpai, Kyouko-senpai is so scary! Save me~~~!"

Yui struggled to breathe as she replied, "Yes… T-terrifying…" _The amount of force in this hug is truly terrifying._

"Geez! That's so mean, Kyouko-chan!" Akari said while pouting. It was to no avail, however, as Akari's lack of presence had already caused Kyouko to forget about her. Kyouko turned towards Chinatsu.

"Tch. I was so close, too. Why can't you just be honest with your feelings for me, China-chu~?"

Kyouko's affections were met with a stony glare as Chinatsu rebutted, "Please, Kyouko-senpai. You know the only one for me is Yui-senpai. And don't call me that." Chinatsu returned to giving Yui a bone-crushing hug. "Isn't that right, Yui-senpai?"

Yui grimaced, "There, there…" _It hurts!_ "Why don't we all just…calm down?"

Chinatsu only continued to hug Yui even more tightly.

"I would be calmer if a certain _someone_ didn't try to jump me every time I walk into this room."

Kyouko quickly jumped to her own defense, "That's so unfair! It has nothing to do with _this _room. I'd try to jump you no matter where you are!" Kyouko gave Chinatsu a thumbs-up. Chinatsu ignored this and simply hugged Yui even harder.

"You'd save me, right, Yui-senpai?"

Yui's face was extremely pale at this point. _How is it humanly possible to hug someone this tightly… I think one of my ribs cracked… I need…air! _"Ch-chinatsu-chan… I… can't breathe…"

Chinatsu immediately released Yui, who in turn slumped onto the floor. Akari went over to Yui and bent down while pulling out a handkerchief.

Akari began to dab at the sweat beads that had formed on Yui's brow. Her voice laden with concern, she asked, "Are you okay, Yui-chan? You're sweating so much!"

The room stayed silent as Yui, Chinatsu, and Kyouko all stared at Akari. After a few moments, they all spoke in unison.

"You were here?"

Akari cried, "I've been here the whole time! We came here together, Chinatsu-chan!"

The rest of the afternoon was whiled away sipping tea, eating cake, and chatting. Kyouko had the crazy idea to build a laser so that they could engrave Chinatsu's, scratch that, Mirakurun's face on the moon, but after two swift hits to the head, from Yui and Chinatsu respectively, that idea was put to rest.

As the members of the Amusement Club made their way home, Chinatsu was deep in thought.

_I feel sort of bad for Akari-chan… Her presence is so weak… I didn't even realize she was with us until she started taking care of my Yui-senpai. _As Chinatsu recalled Akari tending to her dearest senpai, Chinatsu's face darkened. She cracked her knuckles while thinking,_ I'll have to make sure that she doesn't have any impure intentions… Ah, wait, no! Akari isn't like that… Akari is a good girl. She is really kind and patient. She always listens to me when I talk about Yui-senpai. No, she doesn't just listen. She gives advice and does her best to help me! As her friend, I should do something for her in return… That's it!_

"Hey, Akari-chan," Chinatsu called out to her friend, "would you like to sleep over tonight?"

Akari tilted her head and looked at Chinatsu with a slightly surprised face. "Um, is that okay? Wouldn't Akari be intruding?"

Chinatsu shook her head, "No, not at all! I want you to come over! What do you say?"

Akari smiled as she chirped, "Akari would love to!"

* * *

Chinatsu's parents were out of town on business and as fate would have it Chinatsu's older sister, Tomoko, was sleeping over at Akari's house.

_Perhaps she and Onee-chan have another report for university? _Akari thought to herself when she heard the news. She was currently sitting in Chinatsu's room. They had taken a bath together, but Chinatsu put a lot of work into her hair, so she was still in the bathroom.

"It's a shame my sister isn't home tonight." Chinatsu said, walking into her room while patting her hair down with a towel. "She's such a great cook, I was hoping you'd get to try her cooking."

Akari smiled as she mused, _Akari's friends are so thoughtful!_

"Chinatsu-chan's onee-san might be a really skilled cook, but Akari thinks that the dinner Chinatsu-chan made was absolutely wonderful!"

Chinatsu's face immediately lit up. She grabbed Akari's hands and asked, "Really? Do you think Yui-senpai would like my cooking!? What do you think, Akari-chan!?"

Akari squeezed Chinatsu's hands in return and happily replied, "Yes! Akari thinks that Yui-chan would love your cooking. You're really good at cooking, Chinatsu-chan!"

_Score_, Chinatsu thought to herself. _We are on vacation now, too. The timing couldn't be more perfect! I'll invite Yui-senpai over, she'll try my food, immediately fall for me, and then, and then… _[Unfortunately, we cannot show you this image for various reasons.]

Akari looked over at Chinatsu and saw a dreamy expression on the pinkette's face. _Chinatsu-chan must really like Yui-senpai! I wonder if Akari will ever find someone she likes… Everyone else seems to have someone special to them… Is something the matter with Akari? Sigh…_

Chinatsu was brought back to reality by Akari's sigh and immediately felt guilty when she saw the bun-donning girl's worried expression. _Ah, geez. What am I doing? I asked Akari to come over so that I could help her! But here we are, doing the same thing as usual. Instead of thinking about Yui-senpai, I should brainstorm with Akari so we can figure out how to make her stand out more!_

"I'm sorry, Akari-chan."

"Eh, why are you apologizing, Chinatsu-chan?"

Chinatsu scratched the back of her head and blushed a little, "Well, the truth is I asked you to come over so that we could think of ways to make you stand out more… But then I started thinking about Yui-senpai and got, um, carried away…" Chinatsu looked away and thought to herself, _There's no way I can tell Akari-chan exactly what I was thinking about doing with Yui-senpai… I mean, Akari-chan is so innocent…but it's not like I really lied to her, so I guess it's fine._

Akari couldn't help but smile as she looked at her friend. Tears welled up in her eyes as she wondered just how lucky she must be to have been blessed with such an amazing friend.

Chinatsu, on the other hand, paled when she saw the tears escape those violet eyes.

"I didn't mean to say that you don't stand out! I mean, you've been standing out lately? I mean, you're the protagonist! I mean…" As Chinatsu rambled on, Akari began to laugh, which only served to further Chinatsu's worry and confusion.

Akari used a finger to wipe the tears from her eyes. She turned towards Chinatsu and said, "I'm sorry, Chinatsu-chan. Akari didn't mean to worry you… But these aren't tears of sadness! It's just… Akari is so happy to have a friend who cares for her so much… Even if Akari doesn't stand out much, knowing she has friends who care for her this much is more than enough!"

Chinatsu smiled and then threw her hands up, sighing. "Geez, Akari-chan. You really had me worried there! But… you really are a good girl. It's such a waste that you don't have someone you like… I'm sure that you could get anyone you wanted!"

Akari's face reddened ever so slightly and she put her hands in front of herself, protesting, "A-akari doesn't think so… Akari is really childish… and she doesn't stand out much…"

Chinatsu walked over to Akari and stopped when she was but a few centimeters in front of Akari's face. "Geez, Akari-chan," Chinatsu began, "you need to have more confidence in yourself! You're super cute! And I think some self-esteem would probably help you stand out, too!" Chinatsu scolded. _Gah,_ Chinatsu thought to herself, _I was supposed to make her feel better! All I'm doing now is chastising her for her lack of presence! I suppose the lack of presence thing isn't really her fault… But she really should have more confidence! Akari's so cute! I can't help but feel like it's a waste somehow… I mean, she needs to put her cuteness to good use!_

"Um… Chinatsu-chan?"

Chinatsu broke out of her daze, "What is it, Akari-chan?"

"Um… Akari was just wondering whether…do you really think Akari is cute…?"

Chinatsu sighed despite herself and then smiled. "Of course, Akari-chan! You're super cute! That's why you should have more self-confidence! You may not have someone you like now, but I bet one day you will. And I know for sure that if you just had a little more faith in yourself, they'd totally be yours! I mean, anyone would be lucky to have you!"

Akari blushed magnificently. She would have blended into Kyouko's tomato pajamas quite nicely. "Thank you, Chinatsu-chan. Akari will try her best! There are a lot of things Akari doesn't really get yet, but Akari will definitely do her best!"

Chinatsu smiled. _Now that's_ _more like it. But… there really are things we don't know yet. I always fantasize about doing this and that with Yui-senpai, but if the moment were really to come, I'd have no idea what I'm doing…_

Chinatsu placed a single finger onto her lower lip and murmured, "Hey, Akari-chan…"

"What…?"

Chinatsu turned to look at Akari with a starry-eyed gaze that was all-too-familiar to the redhead. Akari swallowed the lump in her throat. When Chinatsu's voice came again, it was barely a whisper.

"Let's kiss."

"Not this again!"

Akari shot straight up and made for the door, but Chinatsu grabbed Akari's wrist before she could make her escape.

"Hold on a second! I know last time things got a little intense, but just hear me out! Please…"

Akari looked back to Chinatsu and saw the pleading look being given by the pinkette. Akari nodded to signal that she'd listen and Chinatsu let go of Akari's wrist. Akari walked back to the center of Chinatsu's room and sat down, Chinatsu following behind her. Chinatsu cleared her throat and then explained herself.

"Last time this happened we didn't really know each other… But now we've been friends for a long time. In fact, I think of you as my best friend, Akari-chan! I don't want to embarrass myself if the time ever comes with Yui-senpai, and I think that if you find someone you like you'll want things to be perfect with them too, right? They say practice makes perfect… And if you ever don't want to do it anymore we'll stop right away!"

Akari shifted slightly. Her face was that of uncertainty. Chinatsu went on, "But… if you don't want to do it at all, I understand too... I thought it might be a good idea but… It's up to you. Really."

Akari looked at Chinatsu. Over the time they'd been friends, she really had gotten to know Chinatsu better. Akari also considered Chinatsu to be her best friend. _Even if Akari doesn't have someone she likes now… it would be sort of nice to know… Not to mention, when Akari sees Chinatsu-chan's worried expression…_

"That… that doesn't sound too bad…"

Chinatsu looked up, stunned. "Akari-chan… you mean…"

Akari smiled and spoke up, "You do make some really good points, Chinatsu-chan. Not to mention… you've already done so much for Akari. Now Akari wants to do something for you! So um… what Akari's trying to say is… _yoroshiku onegaishimasu_!"

Akari shut her eyes tightly as she bowed awkwardly. _Ah, geez. What is Akari doing? Bowing is so lame…_

As Akari scolded herself, Chinatsu was beaming! By the time she and Yui-senpai went out, she'd have perfected everything! In a fit of bliss, Chinatsu tackled Akari in an attempt to hug. If Akari hadn't been lost in thought, she would have promptly returned the hug, but as her mental reprimanding had yet to end, Akari was caught off guard and the pair fell to the ground.

Legs entangled, bodies pressed against each other, pink hair fell over violet eyes. Both girls had a charming rosy hue over their cheeks. Chinatsu was the one who broke the silence, "A-akari-chan…"

"Yes, Chinatsu-chan…?"

"Would it... be alright if I kiss you now?"

Akari looked up into azure eyes and released a breath she did not realize she had been holding. Her reply passed softly over her lips, almost as if it wasn't meant to be heard, "Yes…"

* * *

And now for a few Author's Notes!

"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu" is a Japanese phrase said when you'll be working with someone or doing something with them. It can translate to "I look forward to working together" or "Please treat me kindly". I felt like it's something Akari would say, so I put it in, but I thought the original Japanese would work best. If it doesn't make sense or you'd like to yell at me about it, feel free to PM me~

I know this set up is sort of cliche, but this story has been whirling around in my head for a while and I just can't get it to go away so I figured I'd throw it out into the world! This is probably going to be a 2 or 3 shot, but we'll see. One thing I can say for sure is that this story will be completed. I dislike leaving things unfinished.

I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 of "Practice Makes Perfect"! Reviews are never required but always welcomed~

Until next time,

RuriLali


	2. Awakening

Hello~ If you're reading this please allow me to start by saying thank you for continuing to read this story! I truly hope you enjoy it~

And now for a few notes before we begin. First and foremost, thank you very, very much to everyone who left reviews! It warms my heart, seriously! The next note, which is a rather technical thing, is on Akari's speech style. Akari always speaks in the 3rd person, it is very rare for her to use personal pronouns unless she is making an effort when speaking with someone she doesn't know well. For this reason, in chapter one she speaks the way she does. But, considering it's a pain to read (and write), I've been toying with the narrative style so that she can stay in character while not being obnoxious to understand! I hope that you like the result.

I don't own YuruYuri. I forgot to say that earlier...

My final note, very important, is that I have changed the rating of this story to "M". The characters do not have sex in this chapter. Chances are, they won't in any chapter. I have absolutely nothing against yuri sex, I simply do not feel as though I could write a scene that does it justice. However, (Spolier Alert!) they will make out in this story, and I'd rather be safe than sorry with the rating. I apologize in advance if anyone finds this offensive.

* * *

Legs entangled, bodies pressed against each other, pink hair fell over violet eyes. Both girls had a charming rosy hue over their cheeks. Chinatsu was the one who broke the silence, "A-akari-chan…"

"Yes, Chinatsu-chan…"

"Would it be alright if I kiss you now?"

Akari looked up into azure eyes and released a breath she did not realize she had been holding. Her reply passed softly over her lips, almost as if it wasn't meant to be heard, "Yes…"

Chinatsu shut her eyes and leaned forward, closing the gap between her lips and Akari's. Unlike their first kiss from so long ago, which was forced and rather rough, this kiss was much softer, lighter. Chinatsu's lips lingered on Akari's for a moment before pulling back.

Chinatsu opened her eyes and looked down at Akari, whose eyes were still shut tight. After a few seconds, Akari's eyes opened, holding a mixture of confusion and wonder. Her face was currently a darker shade of red than her hair, but the slightly bemused expression she wore suited her somehow.

Chinatsu began to speak, keeping her voice rather low, "That was…"

"…soft." Akari murmured.

Chinatsu was relieved that Akari wasn't disgusted or afraid. After all, it would be much easier this way. Last time, Chinatsu had ended up chasing Akari around her entire house for a kiss. Although she had gotten what she wanted, it was rather tiring, and she'd prefer not to waste her energy for a peck, even if in the end it was for her precious Yui-senpai. Yes, a willing partner was much better.

Chinatsu leaned in once more, this time more quickly, and pressed her lips to Akari's. Surprise flashed briefly in Akari's eyes, but her eyelids soon fluttered shut and she found herself pressing back, ever so lightly.

Akari's reciprocation was all Chinatsu needed to take the kiss to the next level. Chinatsu ran her tongue along Akari's lips, requesting entrance. Akari hesitantly parted her lips and Chinatsu hastily darted inside. Chinatsu explored the inside of Akari's mouth with her tongue and couldn't help but feel excited at the thought that perhaps one day she would be doing this with her beloved Yui-senpai.

Akari, on the other hand, was trying to keep her head from spinning. Ever since Chinatsu had kissed her, Akari had been feeling weird. She couldn't quite understand what the feeling was or what it meant, but somehow she could tell it wasn't bad. If anything it was good, very good. Something bad certainly couldn't _feel_ so good, could it?

At some point, Akari's body began to react on its own. Akari's hands, which up until now had been awkwardly at her side, came up and around Chinatsu's neck, pulling the pinkette in closer. Akari's tongue was ran itself along Chinatsu's teeth and then began exploring the depths of the pinkette's mouth. Soon after their tongues began to twist themselves around each other and Chinatsu moaned despite herself.

Chinatsu hastily pulled back and tried to catch her breath. Akari, thinking she'd done something wrong, immediately apologized.

"S-sorry, Chinatsu-chan!" Perhaps it was Akari's gentle nature, or the way her face was flushed from kissing, but for some reason Chinatsu was mesmerized.

"N-no, Akari-chan. You didn't do anything wrong. I just, um, wanted to make sure you're okay with this?" Chinatsu gritted her teeth. She hadn't really meant to ask anything. She just couldn't come up with a reason for what had just happened. Why had she just moaned? Why was she letting herself get worked up? This was Akari she was pressed up against, not Yui-senpai.

"It's fine, Chinatsu-chan. After all, it's just practice, right?" Akari smiled up at her friend, hoping to reassure her. For some reason, Chinatsu seemed a little different than usual. When they had "shared" their first kiss, well, needless to say it was not Akari's fondest memory. But this time, Chinatsu seemed so considerate of her. Akari loved her pink-haired friend, but she had never really thought of her as a pillar of thoughtfulness. Perhaps she had misjudged the pinkette?

"Okay, just making sure…" Chinatsu glanced away for a moment and then shook the previous thoughts out of her head. What happened before didn't matter. This was all for Yui.

Chinatsu kissed Akari again, but this time the kiss quickly turned heated. One of Akari's hands was running along Chinatsu's back and the other was entangled in pink locks. Chinatsu's right hand moved from Akari's face to her chest and Chinatsu took the soft mound into her hand. Akari gasped, but it was swallowed by the kiss they were currently engaged in. Chinatsu slowly began to knead at Akari's right breast and Akari arched her back to the touch. She moaned into Chinatsu's mouth, which Chinatsu took as encouragement to go further.

Chinatsu's hand momentarily left Akari's breast as she used it to unbutton Akari's shirt and began to plant butterfly kisses along the redhead's neck.

"Ch-chinatsu-chan…" The name spilled forth from Akari's lips, hoarsely, huskily. Chinatsu involuntarily pressed her body harder against Akari's and-

"Chinatsu! I'm home!"

Chinatsu and Akari immediately separated from one another. Akari focused on rebuttoning her shirt and wondered who it was that had come into the house. Chinatsu did her best to straighten out her hair, which had gotten rather tangled thanks to Akari's fingers running through them.

"Chinatsu, I'm home! Are you- Oh, you have a guest. Hello!" Tomoko opened the door only to find Chinatsu and the wonderful Akaza-san's little sister sitting at opposite ends of the room. _Is this some new sort of punishment game?_ Tomoko wondered.

"I just came back to grab a book and wondered if you were home. Well, I'm off again now!" Tomoko waved at her sister and then added while motioning towards Akari, "And it was lovely to see you again! You and your sister are so alike!" Tomoko tried to hide the blush that appeared with the thought of Akaza-san, and scurried back out of the room.

Once the older girl's footsteps faded away, Akari spoke up, "We're really lucky she called out as soon as she got home!"

"Yeah, we are…" Chinatsu agreed distractedly. _What in the world is wrong with me?_ she thought to herself. _Just how far am I planning on taking this whole "practice" thing? I basically jumped Akari! Well, it's not like Akari was against it… If anything, she was rather into it really… Ah, this is confusing! Wait, no. It's not confusing at all. Obviously the one for me is Yui-senpai. That's the only reason I'm so passionate about this, because in the end, it's for Yui-senpai!_

Shortly after Tomoko's interruption, Chinatsu and Akari decided it was time to go to sleep, so Chinatsu went about preparing a futon for Akari. Akari had said that they could share a futon, but Chinatsu insisted that as a guest Akari should simply accept. Chinatsu knew that the offer Akari had extended was completely innocent, but even then Chinatsu declined. It was just… for some reason, she didn't trust herself to sleep with Akari, not anymore. The events of the evening, the way she had reacted to Akari's touch, only caused unnecessary confusion. Although a part of her would have liked sleep together – simply to prove that she had absolutely no need to be physical with the redhead, she told herself – her concern at the growing attraction overpowered her need to prove something for her ego.

_I need to stay true to Yui-senpai._

* * *

Akari tossed and turned in bed. She could not remember the last time she had had so much trouble falling asleep. The guest futon that Chinatsu had pulled out for her was lovely… So why couldn't she get to sleep? Absentmindedly, her hand went to her lips. Somehow, they still felt as though they were being caressed, even though the warmth of Chinatsu's lips was gone. Then her hand fell down to her chest. Just as she thought, her heart was still beating wildly against it. For a brief moment, Akari feared that Chinatsu would be able to hear her heart beating loudly. Akari looked over at her friend's sleeping form and the shadow of understanding showed itself on her face.

_It couldn't be…_

* * *

In the Akaza household, Akane and Tomoko were diligently working on their report. It had been several hours since Tomoko had returned with the much-needed reference book, and they had really been making progress since. Akane locked her fingers together and stretched her hands over her head.

"Done!"

Tomoko gently placed her pencil onto the table and smiled at the redhead, "Nice work, Akaza-san."

Akane smiled back, "You too! But I can say for sure we wouldn't be done yet without that reference book you brought. I should get one myself!"

Tomoko blushed slightly and then pensively stated, "That reminds me, when I went back home to get the book, Akaza-san's sister and my sister were just sitting at opposite ends of the room, facing away from each other. I wonder if it's some new sort of punishment game?"

"Yeah, I wonder…" Although Akane's smile never faltered, she felt her stomach flip. _Something must have happened! What if that girl tried something? Not that I can blame her, after all, Akari is cute and sweet and kind and cute and… I'm getting side tracked. _

"Akaza-san?" Akane realized that Tomoko was staring at her with a mixture of confusion and concern. "Is everything alright, Akaza-san?"

Akane smiled at Tomoko and reassured her, "Everything is perfectly fine. Well then, what say you we get some shut eye?" Akane made a mental note to find out the full story from Akari later. After all, an older sister has her duties.

* * *

And that's it for chapter 2! From the pace of things, this might actually have 4 chapters? Oopsies?

Two more quick notes:

1. A punishment game is a game in Japan where the loser has to do something embarrassing (or in more harsh cases, painful). A punishment game can be a range of things. Honestly, the word describes the outcome more than the thing itself! Interesting, right~

2. Earlier in the story when Akari mentions how although she "loves" Chinatsu, she doesn't think of her as considerate, I meant this as the friendship sort of love. It should be apparent from this chapter that feelings are coming forth (thus the title), but at that point Akari meant it in a platonic, cute way.

As always, if there are any questions, comments, etc., feel free to PM me! I promise I'll reply~ Reviews are never necessary, but always welcome!

Thank you again so, so much for reading!

Until next time,

RuriLali


	3. Catch Me I'm Falling

_Yoshikawa residence, Chinatsu's bedroom; 6:47 am_

Chinatsu had never considered herself an early bird. She wasn't one to sleep in until the late hours of the afternoon, but she had certainly never considered herself an early bird. And yet, Chinatsu lay awake in bed, considering her current predicament.

_How…how could I let this happen!?_

The sunlight had broken through the curtain, shedding light on more things than one. Chinatsu glanced down at the arm that was wrapped around her waist, and then her gaze shifted to the body that was pressed ever so gently against her own.

* * *

_Yoshikawa residence, Chinatsu's bedroom; 3:04 am_

Akari stared at Chinatsu from the guest futon. Sensing the pinkette shift a bit, she quickly readjusted her gaze to stare at the ceiling. However, this did nothing to calm her down, so she pulled the blankets over her face, deciding she would have to settle for staring at them.

_Geez, what am I doing…? Ever since I realized that I-I…that I l-like…Chinatsu-chan…._

Akari could feel her body temperature rising once more. Everything came rushing back; Chinatsu's kisses, Chinatsu's hot breath on her neck, the feel of Chinatsu's hands roaming all over her body… Akari suddenly felt suffocated by the blankets, quickly throwing them off of her face.

_Ah, what's wrong with Akari!? Even her speech style is getting messed up… _

Suddenly, another rustle came from Chinatsu's bed. Akari thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest. After making sure her breathing was under control, she called out, doing her best to keep her voice from trembling.

"Chinatsu-chan?"

Akari's call into the dark was met by silence.

_No response… But she moved just a little while ago…_

Akari turned to face her friend's sleeping silhouette. She called out once more, this time her voice a bit louder.

"Chinatsu-chan?"

After a few moments, Akari received a reply.

"Akari-chan?"

Akari's face lit up instantaneously.

"Chinatsu-chan, you're awake!"

Although Akari was speaking at a whisper, the delight in her voice was unmistakable.

"Yeah… you too, huh?"

Akari nodded, ignoring the fact that her movements could not be seen.

"Yeah…"

"How come?"

Akari stiffened, knowing she couldn't say the real reason for her insomnia, least of all to the cause of it.

"Akari just…had a nightmare, that's all…" Akari bit her lip, hoping the lie was convincing. She quickly added, "What about you, Chinatsu-chan?"

"Oh, I was just…thinking…"

"…About Yui-chan?"

"…Yeah…"

Akari couldn't help but feel saddened by Chinatsu's reply. Not only had she fallen for her best friend, she'd fallen for someone who already had their heart set on another.

"What was your nightmare about?"

Akari opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. After a few moments of silence, Akari heard blankets rustling. She looked up and through the darkness it almost seemed as though Chinatsu had lifted up her covers, inviting the redhead inside.

"Well? …If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but it doesn't mean I can just let you be sad and scared by yourself down there. "

It took Akari a few moments to fully grasp the situation, but once she understood the meaning behind the pinkette's words, her body practically moved of its own accord as it navigated through the darkness and slipped into bed next to the pinkette, who had scooted over to allow more space for her friend.

The pair lay next to one another in silence for the next few moments. Chinatsu was trying her best to keep her breathing regular while she wondered just when her room had become so unbearably hot. Akari, on the other hand, was doing her best not to cry. Ever since Chinatsu had said she was up late thinking about Yui, Akari couldn't help but feel disheartened. She had just realized her feelings, and yet it was as if she had already been rejected. Akari could feel tears welling up in her eyes at the thought, and immediately tried her best to keep them from falling. Surely they could still be friends, right? Before she could stop herself, Akari reached out for Chinatsu's hand and held it lightly. Realizing what she was doing, she went to pull her hand back and apologize, but was stopped when Chinatsu squeezed her hand back. Akari was slightly taken aback, but smiled nonetheless.

"Thank you, Chinatsu-chan."

The tear that slid down her cheek was lost to the darkness.

* * *

_Yoshikawa residence, Chinatsu's bedroom; 6:48 am_

_Oh… That's right… Last night Akari had a nightmare, so I let her sleep with me… Ugh, and as a result not only was my sleep totally restless, but she's gone and wrapped herself around me!_

Chinatsu had no doubt that the redhead had no bad intentions; if anything, Akari was just like a puppy that had moved itself closer to a source of warmth. And so there they were, Akari with her arm around Chinatsu's waist and face hidden in the crook of Chinatsu's ever reddening neck.

_This is bad… My face-no, my entire _body_ is on fire… What is wrong with me!? Am I…am I getting turned on by _Akari_!? No. This isn't possible. It's probably just the fatigue. Yeah, that's it. I didn't sleep well last night…because I was thinking about Akari…and her lips…and… crap. _

Akari wasn't sure when she had drifted off, but she was extremely comfortable and delightfully warm. Without a second thought, she snuggled closer to the source of the warmth and wrapped her arms around it even more tightly then before. Chinatsu just about fainted. She could feel Akari breathing into the crook of her neck but had no idea what to do about it. The girl was obviously still half asleep, and although Chinatsu wasn't upset at Akari for what she was doing, Chinatsu couldn't help but feel displeased with the reactions it was causing within her body.

_Part of me wants to hit Akari over the head, but part of me… just wants to hold her…_

Chinatsu's thinking process was brought to a halt when she felt Akari's lips on her neck. It was the briefest of touchest, Akari had probably just been readjusting her head, but nonetheless Chinatsu could no longer deny the fire that was burning inside of her. She turned onto her side and her lips soon found Akari's. Unlike the night before, it was not a heated kiss. Her lips simply lingered on Akari's for a moment before pulling back. Chinatsu held Akari close to her body and placed her head over that of the redhead's, too tired to fight the desire any longer. Chinatsu's head was spinning and her lips were still tingling from the kiss, but she simply focused on the sweet smell of Akari's shampoo, and drifted off to sleep once more.

* * *

_Yoshikawa residence, foyer; 11:28 am_

"Are you sure you've got everything?"

Akari nodded in response, "Yup!"

Chinatsu bit her lip. _What now? Should I hug her? How did I used to see her off? Ugh, I'm still trying to forget about this morning…_

At this point Chinatsu could no longer deny her growing attraction to the redhead. But it wasn't just lust. It was something more. Something more powerful, more beautiful, and much more terrifying. She wasn't sure exactly when Akari had woken up, but Chinatsu had pretended to be asleep until Akari got out of bed. When Chinatsu heard the toilet flush she used it as an excuse, acting as though the sound had disturbed her slumber. Akari apologized profusely and Chinatsu pushed the matter aside and suggested they eat a late breakfast. The mid-morning meal was eaten in silence. Akari seemed to be deep in thought about something, and Chinatsu was too busy drinking in Akari's every feature to comment on anything. Did she always furrow her brows when deep in thought? Was it a habit to shake her head and pout when dismissing an idea? Had her lips always been so pink? Did she always look so… breathtaking?

"That's right!" Akari exclaimed. Chinatsu fought away the encroaching blush and looked at Akari inquiringly. "I almost forgot! Sakurako-chan texted this morning… Would you like to get together with her and Himawari-chan tomorrow? We were thinking we could get our summer homework out of the way early. We'd have snacks while working and afterwards we could watch movies and it's sure to be a great time with everyone! We haven't had a sleepover with the four of us in a while! "

Chinatsu smiled, "That sounds great! I'll have to double check with my parents, but there shouldn't be a problem."

"Yay! I'm looking forward to it already!"

"Alright well… Text me when you get home." After a moment's hesitation, Chinatsu wrapped her arms awkwardly around Akari. Akari was thrown off by the tightness of the embrace, but returned it all the same. After a moment, Chinatsu released Akari. She much preferred Akari's arms to the feeling of reluctance that had taken hold of her body when she released the redhead, but she would never admit it.

"Well, I'm off. Thanks again for having me!" With her bag in hand and her buns in place, Akari left the Yoshikawa residence. Chinatsu smiled and waved while seeing her off, but as soon as the door was shut, a frown took hold of her features once more.

"Crap."

* * *

_Akaza residence, foyer; 12:04 pm_

"I'm home!" Akari called out, slipping off her shoes. She assumed her parents were at work, but was not entirely sure of the whereabouts of her elder sister.

_Is she out or is sh-_

"Welcome home!" A voice rang through the house.

Akari stepped into the living room in time to see Akane walking in from the kitchen.

"Welcome home, Akari!"

"I'm home, Onee-chan! How did your report with Yoshikawa-san go?"

Akane smiled, "We finished in record time. How was your sleepover?"

"It was great! I had a lot of fun!"

_Did she try anything, Akari? Did she try to take your innocence from you? Noooo, your innocence is one of your best qualities! Don't let her fool you, Akari!_

Akane clasped her hands together in delight, "That's good! Did you try a new kind of penalty game?"

"Penalty game? Um…no…? Well, I'm kind of tired, so I'm going to take a short nap. I'll see you later, Onee-chan."

"Have a nice nap, Akari."

The smile that graced Akane's face was absolutely beautiful. Countless girls must have fallen victim to its charm. Which is precisely why it was such a shame that her inner monologue did not match its beauty in the least.

_Nooo! Akari! Why are you so tired? And you've never gotten home this late from a sleepover before…! Did that girl take advantage of you? Did she!? Did she _ravish_ you? Oh, she ravished you, didn't she? Oh, my poor Akari. Poor, gentle Akari. I can't believe I didn't attach that video camera to your bag when I had the chance… _

* * *

_Akaza residence, Akari's room, 12:07 pm_

Akari set her bag down and collapsed onto her bed. Her body was well rested, and yet she was exhausted. Akari reddened as she recalled the events of the past day. And then, to make matters worse, there was this morning!

When she woke up, her lips felt an all too familiar tingling sensation and she couldn't help but notice the arms wrapped around her. But that wasn't everything! Her own arms were wrapped around the object of her affection and she was even nuzzling into her neck! Never in her whole life had Akari felt so embarrassed… However, there was another emotion as well. One much warmer.

Happiness.

Akari could not recall the last time she had felt so happy. At that moment she was truly content. But the happiness could not last forever. It was fleeting, as most happiness is. Chinatsu appeared in her mind, and the one beside Chinatsu was not her.

_Yui-chan.._. _How could I be so stupid…? Of course Chinatsu-chan would pick Yui-chan over me… And it's only a matter of time before Yui-chan falls for Chinatsu-chan…_

Akari once again felt the overwhelming urge to cry and darted to the bathroom. In order to avoid suspicion, she flushed the toilet when her emotions were under control once more. When she had come out of the bathroom, Chinatsu was awake and so they had gone to breakfast. An extremely silent breakfast. But Akari was far too busy coming to terms with her situation to notice Chinatsu's scrutinizing gaze. After their late breakfast, Akari gathered her things and they said their goodbyes.

_That reminds me! I have to text Chinatsu-chan!_

Akari stopped replaying the morning's events in her mind and reached for her bag. She barely managed to pull her cell phone out of the bag without falling off her bed. She flipped open her phone, repositioned herself, and sent Chinatsu-chan a text message, as promised.

"_Hey Chinatsu-chan, just wanted to let you know I made it home safely. Thanks again for having me! (^_^)"_

Akari sent the text message and shut her phone. Within a few seconds she heard the ring tone go off, and picked it up. She had one unread message from Chinatsu! Akari hastily opened up the text.

"_Way to text me super late, Akari-chan! You really had me worried! (-_-#)"_

Akari lightly hit herself on the forehead, reprimanding herself for taking so long to text. Before Akari could finish typing up an apology text, a second text message arrived. Seeing it was from Chinatsu, Akari opened it right away.

"_By the way, my parents are fine with me sleeping over tomorrow. I guess I'll be in your care again, huh?"_

Even though she knew it was to study… Even though she knew she wouldn't be alone with Chinatsu… Akari was delighted! She'd get to see Chinatsu again tomorrow! She quickly texted back.

"_Sorry about the delay, I got distracted... (^_^;) But yay! I'm so glad they said okay! *\(^o^)/*"_

The girls continued texting for a while. Their conversation topics ranged from discussing what snacks would be best for the occasion and what movie they should rent to whether Sakurako and Himawari would finally admit to their feelings for each other. But Akari's eyelids soon grew heavy and she reluctantly had to excuse herself. No matter, they would be reunited soon enough.

Again she repositioned herself, this time so that she was on her back facing the ceiling. She threw an arm up over her eyes and let the other rest on her abdomen.

_Sakurako-chan and Himawari-chan are so lucky… Even though they won't admit it, it's so obvious that they like each other…_

Akari got up to turn off the lights before lying back down, this time on her side.

_I wish the person Chinatsu-chan liked… was me._

* * *

And that's it for chapter 3! If you're reading this, thank you! Thank you so much for sticking with this story! I apologize for the delay in updating. I promise that the wait for chapter 4 will be much shorter. Next time: the study session/sleepover at Akari's! I, for one, am quite excited!

Thank you again to all those who have reviewed this story so far. Reviews are never required, but always welcome!

Until next time,

RuriLali


	4. Secrets Were Made to be Exposed

_Akaza residence, Foyer; 2:07 pm_

"Welcome!" Akari greeted as she held open the door for three of her closest friends.

"Pardon the intrusion!" Three voices called out simultaneously. Chinatsu, Sakurako, and Himawari all stepped into the house and began removing their shoes.

"I already have some snacks ready in my room, but would you guys like anything to drink?" Akari eagerly smiled at her friends, always happy to play the hostess.

Sakurako raised her hand and jumped up and down in anticipation, "Oh, oh, I want barley tea!" After a swift hit to the head, courtesy of Himawari, she reworded her request, "I mean, if it's not too much trouble, some barley tea would be nice… please."

Chinatsu smiled at their antics and jumped in, "I'll take some barley tea too, if that's okay."

Akari laughed and reassured them, "It's absolutely no trouble! We have plenty here; I made sure to stock up!" Akari looked to Himawari, who had yet to request anything.

"Oh, well then, if it isn't too much of an inconvenience, some barley tea would be lovely, Akaza-san."

Akari smiled, "I'll be right back with the drinks then! If you guys want, you can go up to my room and put your things down. Please make yourselves at home!"

While the rest of the girls went upstairs with their bags, Akari went into the kitchen to fetch the barley tea. She took four glasses out of the pantry, filled each with a bit of ice, and placed them on a tray. Next she grabbed a pitcher of barley tea from the fridge and then proceeded to fill each of the glasses. Finally, she placed the pitcher on the tray, deciding to bring what was left of it for good measure, and made her way upstairs, careful of spilling.

As the girls were setting down their bags, Sakurako spoke up, "Akari-chan seems different somehow… Like she's more grown up or something!?"

Himawari agreed, "Yes, there does seem to be a certain air of maturity surrounding Akaza-san today. You should follow her example, Sakurako."

"What'd you say!?"

Chinatsu was about to break up the imminent fight when Akari's voice interrupted them.

"Sorry," Akari called out from the hallway, "could someone open the door, please?"

Akari heard the sound of footsteps and then the door opened to reveal an aggravated Himawari and a very perturbed Sakurako. Akari smiled sympathetically at Chinatsu, who had been dealing with their antics on her own, and walked in with the refreshments.

"Yay!" Sakura began to dance around, "Barley tea! Barley tea! If you don't want it, I'll take yours, Himawari! Barley tea!"

"I'll be drinking my barley tea, Sakurako. And can you sit down? Honestly, you act like such a child…"

Sakurako turned to face her rival, "What was that!? Stupid Himawari. Stupid boobs!"

Himawari turned as well, one hand covering her chest, the other pointing at Sakurako, "My breasts have nothing to do with this!"

Akari and Chinatsu, seeing yet another quarrel coming, quickly intervened.

"Now, now girls. Let's not fight. Why don't we focus on studying?" Chinatsu started.

Akari nodded and went on, "Yeah! Like Chinatsu-chan said, why don't we all get our homework out of the way? Then we can all relax and goof off as much as we'd like!"

Himawari sat down, "Yes, you're exactly right. I apologize. What subject shall we start with?"

Sakurako sat down as well, but clearly not with the aim to study, "Eh? I don't wanna study… I wanna play…"

Akari scratched the back of her head and tried to reason with Sakurako, "I know studying can be boring, but if we get all of the studying out of the way now, then we can play as much as we want and we won't even have to feel bad about it! I even rented some movies for when we're done and we have plenty of snacks… What do you think, Sakurako-chan?"

Sakurako pondered for a minute before replying, "Well, when you put it that way, I guess it makes sense. Alright, let's get this over with so we can play!"

Akari smiled and opened up the textbook closest to her, mathematics.

"Do you guys want to start with Mathematics? I feel like it will be the hardest, besides maybe English, so I thought it might be nice to get it out of the way."

"That's a great idea, Akari-chan! Much better than anything Himawari would ever suggest!" Sakurako really had a knack for aggravating the amber-eyed girl. Sakurako's comment was met with a swift kick from the amber-eyed girl herself.

"Mathematics, was it? A wonderful idea indeed, Akaza-san." Himawari grabbed her mathematics textbook and smiled, all the while ignoring the glares coming from her so-called rival.

* * *

_Akaza Residence, Akari's Bedroom; 7:02 pm_

The sun was in its final stages of setting over the horizon, showering hill and vale with deep orange hues. Four girls sat at a table, working diligently to finish their assignments, their papers all bathed in the orange glow from the setting sun.

"Ahhhhh, I can't do this anymore! I need a break… I need food!" Sakura threw her arms up into the air and then fell backwards onto the floor, signaling her defeat.

"Sakurako, you've made absolutely no progress." Himawari shook her head as she continued writing in her notebook.

Sakurako haughtily raised a hand to her face, "Himawari, you're the one who hasn't made any progress. I wonder if the weight of your boobs is slowing you down?"

Himawari blushed profusely and raised an arm to cover her chest. With her other hand, she pointed at Sakurako in her usual manner, "My breasts have nothing to do with this!"

Chinatsu and Akari simply sighed. This would be their twenty-third fight in the past five hours, and the thirty-eighth if one counted the times they silently kicked and threw things at each other. Akari glanced over at Chinatsu who was shaking her head at the all too familiar scene before them. Akari scooted over to Chinatsu and lifted a hand to her mouth as she whispered in Chinatsu's ear.

"It's pretty silly, isn't it, Chinatsu-chan?"

Chinatsu, ignoring the sensation of Akari's warm breath on her ear and the butterflies in her stomach, nodded.

"Yeah… I mean, we all know they like each other. I'm not sure who they're trying to kid."

Akari giggled and added, "I think the only people who don't know that Himawari-chan and Sakurako-chan like each other _are _Himawari-chan and Sakurako-chan."

Chinatsu chuckled at Akari's comment, again doing her best to ignore the feelings caused by Akari's proximity. She was about to come up with a witty retort, when she noticed that Sakurako and Himawari's fight had escalated to the point where a kick or two was about to come into play. Chinatsu pointed at the quarrelling pair.

"Akari-chan!"

Akari followed Chinatsu's finger to see the source of her distress. Akari immediately stood up and did her best to play the mediator.

"Okay! Well, um, I think it's about time for a break! We have been studying for 5 hours straight after all… How about we eat some dinner? After dinner we can finish what's left of work, and then we'll have all night to watch movies and play! What do you guys think?"

Sakurako turned towards Akari with a pout and whined, "Eh? We'll have to work even _more_ after dinner!?"

Himawari lightly hit Sakurako in the back of the head, "We have to finish our homework. Besides, you're the one who's done the least amount of work, Sakurako." Himawari then turned towards Akari and smiling she added, "But I think dinner sounds wonderful, Akaza-san."

As Sakurako continued to complain about stupid homework, stupid Himawari, and stupid boobs, the other girls went about organizing their papers and figuring out how much work they had finished, as well as how much work they had left. Sakurako aside, they had accomplished an impressive amount. If they were efficient, what was left of their summer homework would be finished shortly after dinner. Sakurako aside.

Akari stood up and made her way to the door, "Alright then! I'll head down to the kitchen and put together something to eat."

Ever the polite young miss, Himawari immediately offered her assistance, "Do you need help with anything, Akaza-san?"

Akari put her hands up in protest, "Eh? No, I'm fine! Besides, you're a guest! I can't let you do any work!"

Himawari chuckled slightly and added, "I'm used to making dinner for this one," she gestured towards Sakurako, "so it's not like I really mind. Besides, I'd feel terrible if you had to make dinner for the four of us on your own, Akaza-san."

Seeing that Akari still looked unconvinced, Himawari added, "I love cooking so it's really no trouble at all!"

Akari smiled and hesitantly agreed, "Well… If you really don't mind…"

Himawari walked over to the door, "I really don't. In fact, it'd be my pleasure, Akaza-san."

Akari smiled at the reassurance and the two walked downstairs, making their way towards the kitchen.

Chinatsu watched the two as they left the room. She absentmindedly tapped her fingers on the table in front of her. She would never admit it, but she already missed the redhead.

_Tch… I should have offered to help cook. Then I could be alone with Akari-chan… N-not that I want to be alone with Akari-chan! …Ugh, who am I kidding? I've totally fallen for her… Ah, I really should have offered to help her cook! I'd get to be alone with her _and _her image of me would improve! …But I'm not sure if my cooking skills could compare to Himawari-chan's… Ah, but I want to do something to help! I could make some art for her… but I don't have any supplies here to make a piece of artwork for her…_

As Chinatsu continued to ponder, her brows increasingly furrowed. It would seem that she forgot Sakurako was in the room, because at some point, she started thinking out loud.

"…I could always make tea after dinner. In fact, I could make it as a surprise for everyone and then she'd be even more impressed! Haha, take _that_, Himawari-chan! Who's the impressive one now!?"

"Still Himawari."

Chinatsu was so surprised by Sakurako's voice she visibly jumped.

"Y-you were listening!?"

Sakurako tilted her head slightly and matter-of-factly stated, "Well, you just randomly started talking, and it's not like I can turn my ears off…"

Chinatsu nodded, dumbfounded. What Sakurako said made sense, it's not like she could blame Sakurako, but… Just how much did Sakurako hear? Chinatsu had no idea when she had gone from simply thinking to speaking… which meant… Sakurako might know! Chinatsu's face visibly paled.

_Sakurako-chan might know that I like Akari... It's not like she'll judge me or anything… I mean, the girl clearly has feelings for Himawari. But… she'll totally spill the beans! _

"So," Sakurako said, "you like Akari-chan?"

Chinatsu's face went from ghostly white to tomato red. Chinatsu immediately put her hands in front of her in protest.

"Wha-what are you talking about? Me? Like Akari-chan!? Aha… ahahahaha… ahahahahahaha… You're so funny, Sakurako-chan…"

Chinatsu looked away from Sakurako's scrutinizing gaze. _She knows… she knows… she knows!_

In reality, Sakurako's gaze was anything but scrutinizing. She was simply a little curious; although, after her friend's strange reaction, she was the slightest bit worried as well.

"So," Sakurako started again, "how long have you liked Akari-chan?"

"I-it's not like I l-like Akari-chan or anything like that…"

Sakurako tilted her head again, "But you were just talking about how you were trying to show up Himawari and impress Akari-chan… and how if you'd gotten to be alone in the kitchen with Akari-chan, you'd push her down and-"

Chinatsu practically pounced on Sakurako and put a hand over her mouth.

"Well…" Chinatsu quickly thought up something to distract Sakurako, "you like Himawari-chan!"

Sakurako's face instantly reddened, "Wh-what are you…! Are you crazy!? There's no way I'd like that booby monster!"

Chinatsu smirked. _Perfect. This is the best way to distract her!_

"Really? Because to me it seems you really like her, especially her chest, considering how much you focus on it."

Sakurako went an even deeper shade of red and shouted, "I DO NOT!"

"So," Chinatsu continued, "how long have you liked Himawari-chan?"

"S-since abou- I DO NOT LIKE HER!"

Unfortunately for Chinatsu, Sakurako had finally caught on and would be distracted no longer.

"You never told me when you started liking Akari!"

Chinatsu stiffened, "Wh-whatever do you mean, Sakurako-chan?"

Sakurako smirked, "You know exactly what I mean. I was sitting across from you so I saw you sneaking glances while I play- I mean, studied!"

Redness made it's way to Chinatsu's face. She could see no way out of this predicament. She never would have guessed it, but Sakurako had caught her red-handed.

Chinatsu looked away and, in a very small voice, confessed, "I… I only started liking her recently..."

Sakurako smiled in triumph, "Yes! I knew it! You _do_ like her!"

Chinatsu immediately regretted her confession, "But you can't tell _anyone_! Do you understand!?"

Sakurako, seemingly oblivious, began to dance around and sing, "Chinatsu-chan likes Akari-chan, Chinatsu-chan likes Aka-"

Chinatsu pounced once more and harshly whispered, "Sakurako-chan! You cannot repeat anything you just heard! And you certainly can't make up _songs _about it!"

Sakurako nodded energetically, "Don't worry, Chinatsu-chan! I may not look it, but I'm great with secrets!"

Chinatsu could have sworn she heard Sakurako mutter "_usually_" under her breath at the end of that sentence. Either way, the worry Chinatsu was feeling would not subside.

_I'm in big trouble…_

Unbeknownst to the two girls, someone had overheard their conversation.

* * *

_Akaza residence, Kitchen; 7:14 pm_

Akari and Himawari had been hard at work in the kitchen preparing supper. They had decided to make curry, since it's rather easy to make large portions. Akari had washed and cut the chicken, while Himawari washed and peeled the carrots and potatoes quite skillfully. Then they each chopped various vegetables and, now that the preparations were done, began to make the curry. While in the kitchen, the two girls had chatted with topics ranging from schoolwork to home life. They were enjoying their small talk when their tranquility was interrupted by ruckus from upstairs.

"_I DO NOT!"_

Recognizing whose voice it was, Himawari sighed.

"Honestly… Sakurako is such a rowdy girl…"

Akari smiled and said, "It's great that she's so energetic!"

"…_I DO NOT LIKE HER!"_

Himawari shook her head, "That girl has more energy than she knows what to do with. She's always been this way…"

_They've always been together… And they have feelings for each other…_

Akari looked down for a moment before muttering, "It must be nice…"

Himawari looked over at Akari, "I'm sorry, what was that, Akaza-san?"

Akari lifted her head and said, "Oh, um, I was just saying the curry is about done! Would you mind getting Chinatsu-chan and Sakurako-chan?"

Himawari shook her head, "It's no trouble at all."

Himawari headed upstairs and headed towards Akari's room. She could hear muffled voices coming from behind the door.

"_I… I only started liking her recently..." _

"_Yes! I knew it! You _do_ like her!"_

Himawari suddenly felt extremely guilty for overhearing what she assumed was a very private matter. _I don't think I'm supposed to hear this… _

"_But you can't tell _anyone_! Do you understand!?"_

"_Chinatsu-chan likes Akari-chan, Chinatsu-chan likes Aka-"_

Himawari blinked in surprise. _Yoshikawa-san likes Akaza-san? I always thought she liked Funami-senpai… Putting that aside, Sakurako, you're such a rude girl! I can't believe you'd make a mockery of her feelings!_

"_Sakurako-chan! You cannot repeat anything you just heard! And you certainly can't make up songs about it!"_

Himawari nodded in agreement. _Honestly, Sakurako. Have some class! Although I do love how energetic you are…_

"_Don't worry, Chinatsu-chan! I may not look it, but I'm great with secrets!"_

Noticing a slight pause, Himawari took this as the perfect opportunity to knock.

"Wh-who is it!?" Chinatsu-chan could hardly keep her voice from quivering.

_I definitely wasn't supposed to hear that conversation! I'll just pretend I don't know anything…_ After a moment, Himawari spoke up, "It's me. I just wanted to inform you two that supper is ready."

Himawari heard the shuffling of feet and then the door was pulled opened almost violently. Sakurako, the perpetrator, shouted in excitement, "Food!"

With that, the chestnut haired girl ran downstairs. Himawari fought the urge to smile at Sakurako's excitement. Shortly afterward, a rather despondent Chinatsu walked out of the room. _I'm doomed…_

Himawari, immediately noticing her friend's dejected attitude, did her best to console her, "Um… Hang in there, Yoshikawa-san!"

Chinatsu stared at her for a moment and then flatly said, "You heard, didn't you?"

Himawari looked away and tried to refute the claim, "Wh-whatever do you mean?"

Chinatsu sighed, "It's alright, Himawari-chan. You don't have to pretend. I don't really mind you knowing. I'm much more worried about someone else…"

Himawari looked back to her friend. "Don't worry, Yoshikawa-san! I'll do everything in my power to make sure that idiot Sakurako doesn't tell your secret!"

Chinatsu smiled slightly, "Thank you, Himawari-chan."

Himawari smiled back, "That's what friends are for, Yoshikawa-san."

With that, the two girls headed downstairs to join their friends for dinner. Himawari knew that Sakurako would never _purposefully_ give away Chinatsu's secret, but the chances of Sakurako _accidentally_ doing so were very large. Himawari had her work cut out for her. Chinatsu, on the other hand, was trying to figure out what she would do when Akari found out. It's not that she doubted Himawari; in fact, she had all the faith in the world that Himawari would try her very best to keep Sakurako from blabbing. But…Sakurako's idiocy was certainly something to be feared.

* * *

Thank you so much to everyone who's kept with the story so far! And an extra thanks to those of you who have left reviews! It always brightens my day when I see a review~ And it fuels my writing!

I apologize for taking so long with chapter 4! I had it like 90% written, but then I ended up rewriting it entirely. When you add my cousin's wedding into the mix, time was not really on my side XP So, I originally had Akari and Sakurako pair off in the kitchen, and Himawari and Chinatsu in Akari's room, but then I thought to myself, "Wait, Himawari would totally offer to help out in the kitchen, and I never get to see Sakurako interact much with Chinatsu!" so I decided to switch things up. I hope you all liked the end result!

As for Akari and her "air of maturity", as some of you may have noticed, she's no longer speaking in the third person! Speaking in the third person is considered really childish (unless you add a -sama to the end of it, in which case, it's really pompous). I decided that an Akari in love would grow up a little, and leave her third person speech behind. It also makes her easier to write. This chapter didn't have her speaking too much, but next chapter will, so it should be more obvious ^^ Also, next time is truth or dare! What else can one expect of a sleepover? ;)

Reviews are never required, but always welcome! :)

Until next time,

RuriLali


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